2 missing after barge hits, sinks tourist boat

by Maryclaire Dale - Jul. 8, 2010 12:00 AMAssociated Press

PHILADELPHIA - An amphibious sightseeing boat that stalled in the Delaware River was knocked over by an oncoming barge Wednesday, spilling 37 people overboard and leaving two passengers unaccounted for after a frantic rescue effort.

Ten people were sent to one hospital after the capsizing of the six-wheeled "duck boat," which offers tours of Philadelphia by water and land. Only minor injuries were reported. Witnesses said many passengers were wearing life vests as rescuers plucked them from the water.

Searchers spent hours looking for a 16-year-old girl and a 20-year-old man believed to have been aboard the vessel, police Lt. Frank Vanore said.

The duck boat had driven into the water just after 2:30 p.m., then had a mechanical problem and a small fire, officials said. It was struck about 10 minutes later by a barge used to transport sludge, then sank.

Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey said divers found the duck boat in water about 50 feet deep. Vanore said crews would not attempt to recover it until today at the earliest.

There were 35 passengers and two crew members aboard the boat, said Coast Guard Senior Chief Bud Holden. Coast Guard boats assisted by police and fire crews worked to rescue people from the water, he said. A spokeswoman for the duck-boat company said 39 people were aboard, and the reason for the discrepancy wasn't clear.

The duck boat was operated by Ride the Ducks, which also operates tours in San Francisco; Seattle; Stone Mountain, Ga.; Newport, R.I.; and Branson, Mo.

In a statement on the company's website, Ride the Ducks said it was temporarily suspending operations in Philadelphia.